The Supreme Moment in History

Daily Devotional with Dr. Charles Stanley @ InTouch.org

The Supreme Moment in History

Sin is so atrocious in the Lord’s eyes that it costs a life. Without the shedding of blood, there’s no forgiveness and no remission of sin (Heb. 9:22). God set up a system of animal sacrifice as a temporary solution to the problem. An Israelite would take a spotless lamb to the priest, lay hands on its head, and confess his sin. The priest would sacrifice the animal and sprinkle its blood on the altar. The Israelite went away purified.

Throughout history, countless beasts were slain, which seems like an awesome waste from a human perspective. The Lord, however, was making an eternal point: Holy God cannot accept sin.

The Lord is vehemently opposed to sin because of its devastating power. Look at the television news or the front page of the newspaper to see the results of wrongdoing in people’s lives. It brings harm and ruin. Our heavenly Father does not want us to suffer those destructive consequences. Therefore, the Father made one final sacrifice by putting Christ on the cross to die as our substitute. On that day, God judged sin. He put the weight of mankind’s wrongs onto Jesus’ shoulders and exacted the death penalty from His only Son. Animal sacrifice was instantly obsolete because the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

God deemed sin so horrible and destructive that He willingly killed His own Son in order to break its power. For His part, Jesus offered Himself as a substitute. He purchased victory over sin for those believe in Him. That was the supreme moment in human history.

1 Peter 2

As Newborn Babes

1 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3if you havetastedthe kindness of the Lord.

As Living Stones

4 And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, 5 you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For thisis contained inScripture:

“BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone,
AND HE WHO BELIEVES INHIM WILL NOT BEDISAPPOINTED.”

7This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE VERY CORNER stone,”

8and,

“A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”;

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doomthey were also appointed.

9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul. 12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them,glorify Godin the day ofvisitation.

Honor Authority

13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. 16Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17Honor all people,love the brotherhood,fear God,honor theking.

18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. 19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this findsfavor with God.

Christ Is Our Example

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you werecontinually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to theShepherd andGuardian of your souls.